This time last year, we were pulling out our dead, brown front lawn and replacing it with drought tolerant plantings.  That venture went well. We have enjoyed the lush plantings, many of which are blooming now. 

This spring has been very different.  It started innocently enough with a desire to replace our two sliding glass doors that lead to the patio, since one had begun to stick.  We also knew that our home was long overdue for an outside paint job, so we decided that should be done this spring as well.

The process started in early February; it took some time to have evaluations and estimates done.  Once decisions had been made, the delivery of the new doors was delayed a bit due to winter storms. Finally they arrived.  Furniture, decorations, and plants within 3 feet of the doors, inside or out, had to be moved. Okay, it would just be for a short time, right?

Once everything got started, though, wood rot was discovered in 2 places. Work stopped while a water intrusion specialist was called in. He determined parts of the door frame, floor and siding would need to be replaced.  More plants were moved off the patio to accommodate more equipment.  I worried about my plant babies as I scattered them throughout the back yard.  Some of them had spent their whole lives under our protective patio cover.  I couldn't count on my usual, routine care as the plants were now experiencing altered conditions: more exposure to wind, rain, sun and temperature changes.  Luckily we did not have any freezes during this time.

With the initial repairs complete, the glass people were able to come in and finish putting in the replacement doors.  Now we moved on to the painting.  The painting company found several more areas that needed the siding replaced before painting could begin.  More plants, three wooden plant shelves, and a potting bench had to be moved into the back yard. Now the entire back wall of the house was clear.

They also mentioned that the shrubs on the side of the house would need to be pruned back away from the side of the house so the painters could get in.  It made sense. I got out loppers, pruning saws and hand pruners to cut back Tagetes, Euonymus, Holly, Pomegranate and Grevillea.  I decided to take off some of the height as well as trim their backsides, so they wouldn't look completely out of proportion.  As I worked I remembered the pruning rules; after the primary removal of dead and diseased branches, the next instruction was to prune for form and function.  Well, in this case, I was pruning to help improve the function of the painters!

The power washing is due to be done towards the end of April.  The painting is to start May 1^st and take about a week. We have decided to leave the plants and plant stands where they are until the painting is completed, as we just can't face moving them back and forth again.

With our rains, the hand watering hasn't been too onerous, but I have had to make sure some pots weren't getting too much water in some of our downpours.  It looks like our story will wrap up in May which means it will have lasted for 4 months.  My “spring gardening” has not been at all what I had planned.  I haven't planted a single tomato.  I have had to pay more attention to detail as my plants deal with their new conditions.  It has required more hands on, up close and personal, interactions with my plants.  This  has had its own rewards; a sparkling drop of dew on a succulent, seeing bees so close up that I can see their pollen sacs. It has also required more time reaching for the Tylenol bottle and ice packs for the knees and back.